Analysis of ciliary membrane protein dynamics using SNAP technology

Abstract

The sensory functions of the primary cilium rely on receptors and other membrane proteins that are specifically sorted to the ciliary compartment, which is a subdomain of the plasma membrane. Defects in this process underlie a large number of human diseases, yet it is poorly understood. Thus, it is of great interest to understand the mechanisms by which the cell sorts and traffics proteins to the ciliary membrane. Here, we provide an overview of our method to study the sorting and trafficking of ciliary membrane proteins using SNAP technology. This technology enables pulse-chase analysis of the movement of proteins through the endomembrane system and onto the cilium.